Packing retainer



Feb. 27,1940, M. H. GORMANV 2,191,851

PACKING RETAINER Filed Sept. 2, 1938 I '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Y a" V B P m j 4 r J. u I H} 0 w w C KOII Feb. 27,1940. 1 M. H. GORMAN 2,191,851

PACKING RETAINER Filed Sept. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 v UNITED STATE s PATENT 'omcr.

I 2,191,851 PACKING RETAINER Marvin H. German, Corbin, Ky. Application September ,2, 1938, Serial No. 228,178

7. Claims.

This invention relates to the journal boxes and journals of railway cars and particularly to means for retaining packing therein. 1

Theobject of they invention is to provide a packing retainer which will hold the packing firmly in place within the journal box and notallow it to slip to one side of this journal as the v car is in movement and which will keep constant pressure on the packing and thus keep the oil pressed to the top of the packing and feeding to the journal when the journal is running, thus eliminating the use of packing irons at each terminal to press the oil upward as at present.

Another object is to keep the packing in proper position and eliminate waste grabs and eliminate the'robbing of packing from the journal box. I s

Another object of the invention is to provide a packingretainer which, when the car is running, will be kept in continual vibration so that the packing is alternately compressed and loosened, thus acting to pump oil up to the upper portion of the packing and against the journal instead of allowing the lubricant to accumulate in the bottom of the box.

The invention also has for an object to provide a device of this kind including means to effectively prevent robbing of the'box in which the a packing retainer is placed, said means also serving effectively as a shield to protect the packing against grit and other-foreign matter which accumulates within the box during transit and which means also substantially eliminates the lgicking or backing up of the packing against the r-ass.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical journal bearing with my packing holder in place.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the packing holder. I

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 4 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through a journal and through a retainer constructed in accordance with another embodiment of my invention, the box in brass being diametrically indicated by broken lines. I

- Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the retainer as comprised in this second embodiment.

Figure '7 is a view in top plan of the device as illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of the structure as illustrated in Figure 6, with portions broken away.

longitudinal section of a l A Figure 9 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9' of Figure '7.

In the invention as embodied in Figures 1 to 4, it will be seen that my packing retainer is formed of a single piece of spring steel about in diameter in actual practice. The strip of spring steel from which the retainer is made is bent at its middle to form an upward extension i0, then is extended laterally in a horizontal plane on opposite sides from said portion III, as at Ii, then extended upwardly and rearwardly, as at l2, then extended rearward at i3, bent to, form a coiled spring M, then extended longitudinally, as at i5, and then laterally bent at IS, the abutting ends of these laterally bent portions l6 being welded orotherwise connected to each other at El.

it will be seen from Figure 1 that in the use of this device, the U-shaped portion formed of the legs l5 and the connecting elements i6 isdisposed below the brass of the journal box with the portions i6 extending aocross the front 4 end of the journal A. The lower legs [3 with their downwardly and inwardly inclined portionsii and 52 are disposed to bear against the packing on each side of the journal and forcethis. packing downward in the manner shown. The eye formed by the portion ill permits a toolto be inserted to lift up'the lower portion of the re- 30 tainer. The coils ii, of course, act to resiliently v connect the portions IS with the portions i3 and urge the, portions 53 downward into pressing engagement with the packing. In Figure 1, I have illustrated thejournal box A of usual or suitable form within which the journal 13 operates, this journal box being provided with the journal brass C while the lower portion of the spring retainer rests against the packing D.

The legs i3 will be flattened somewhat and burred so that the retainer will hold better on the packing. The portions 12 should be bent downward, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 in orderto fit over the packing at the front of the journal box and hold the packing back so as to prevent it from passing out of the forward end of thejournal box, as it .is very liable to do, unless I means are taken to prevent this. In actual practice the arms i5 will terminate about A," backof the upper end of the bends 12 while the crossbar it should be disposed approximately 1" in front of the upper ends of the bends l2 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1. Obviously the length of the different portions i will vary in order to fit different. boxes. With 55 the parts shown in position in Figure 3, the cross bar II will be distanced from the cross bar is.

about 1%" and will bear against the frontend of thebox. The outwardly curved portions at the extremities of the arms 15 accommodate the journal collar.

It will be seen that this retainer keeps the packing in proper position down and away from the bearing as well as pressing the oil to the top of the packing. Furthermore, it entirelyeliminates waste grabs, that is, prevents the packing being moved up against the journal bearing by the movement of the journal. When the car is given a heavy application of brakes, the bearing tilts and when it comes back tion on the journals, the journals catch the waste packing between the journal and the bearing and this is liable to cause a hot box removed at once. This is entirely preventedin my construction.

' The retainer keeps a constant pressure on the packing and while the journal is running, the

motion of the bearing on the spring keeps the on within the packing pressed to the top of the packing, feeding it to the'journal and eliminating the use of packing irons at each .terminal to press the oil upward, as at present necessary.

, This is due to the peculiar action of the retainer when the car is running. Under these circumstancesthe journal B shifts back and forth within the box and. this causes alternate compression and relief on or constant vibration of the spring arms. Thus a pumping action is secured which alternately compresses the dope" or packing and allows it to expand, thus secur-. ing a pumping action which keeps the lubricant pumped upward against the journal and prevents its sinking to the bottom of the box. This retainer also prevents the robbing of packing from the journal box as it is almost 1mpossible to pull the packing out of the box when the spring retainer is in place and the spring retainer cannot be lifted and the packing removed without a tool for that purpose. This is .due to the downwardly inclined portions l2 which I extend downwardly and inwardly toward the 'bymeans of a packing knife every so often. This the journal.

middle of the box and to the cross bar H. I This cross bar extending as it does entirely across the packing, keeps the packing from working forward and being forced out of the'box and, inasmuch as the lower legs I3 are formed with prongs or teeth, the lower'legs I 3 with the cross bar II and the portions l2 so clamp the packing in place as to prevent the packing from being pulled out by packing thieves except in small and useless shreds. The packing can only be removed bodily. by removing the retainer and this cannot be done by hand. These upper and lower cross bars l6 and II permit the application of a tool or tongs to the two cross bars, one jaw of the tongs passing through the-eye l0, and

thus permit the retainer tobe compressed and. pulled out and compressed, inserted and re-- leased. This retainer cannot be pulled out by hand. 1'

In ordinary practice, it is necessary that the or packing shall be tucked into the box is done soas to force the packing down solidly into the bottom of the box and pack it beneath This must be done every time the engine comes into the roundhouse and at more or less frequent intervals for every journal on every car. Inasmuch. as this operation takes about a minute for each box, a great deal of into proper ,posiif not seen and time and money is spent in'the course of the year in packing and re-packing and tucking in packing on the hundreds of thousands of cars in use. The necessity of tucking 'in the packing is-entirely done away with by the use of this retainer due to the peculiar action of the retainer when the car is running and which, as before stated, causes a vibration of the device which alternately compresses and expands the packing and pumps the oil to the upper surface thereof and against the journal.

In the invention as comprised in Figures 5 to cross bar 20 provided with the substantially circular positioned or upstanding extension ,or"

eyemember 2|. In this, embodiment of my in-- vention, each of the legs l3 has extending there-' along an inwardly directed plate 22 of desired width and which'has its outer marginal portion provided with the knuckles 23 through which the leg I3 is freely disposed whereby the plate 22 can be swung up or down. The inner or free longitudinal marginal portion with the downwardly disposed teeth 24.

so of the plate 22 is formed The forward end portions of the plates 22 are} continued by the inwardly and laterally disposed extension plates or'arms 25 disposed on a lengthwise or a slight downward curvature and these 'plateswr arms 25 along their inner margins are also provided with the teeth 26."

The free end'portion of one of the plates or arms 25 is provided with an opening 21 through which is adapted to'pass from above the locking tongue 28 extending out from the outer or I free end of the second plate or arm 25. This locking tongue 28 has its outer portion slightly ofiset whereby isflprovided a shoulder or stop 29 to limit the extent of insertion of the locking tongue 28 through the opening 2'land thus determine the extent of upwardswinging movement of the plates 22 and 25 under the action of the compressed packing therebeneath, Therear portions of each of the plates '22, and also the rear 'por-' tions 30, extend'beyond the adjacent coil spring 3| which toacts with a lower sociated upper'leg 32.

The retainer as comprised in this second -em bodiment of my inventlonis applied within the journal box in the same manner as has hereinbefore been set forth with respect to the invention as illustrated in;Figures 1 to 4. In the initial insertion of this retainer within the journal-box, the plates 22 and 25 are thrown up wardly to offer no hindrance or restriction to the desired application of the retainer. After proper placement ofthe retainer as a unit withinv the box, the plates or arms 25 are swung down i wardly and inwardly with the locking tongue 28 contacting from above with 25 having the opening 27. This initial contact is in advance of the opening "2'! and as the uppermost plate or arm 25 is forced downwardly,

its own accord enter and pass through the opening 21 and upon rethe locking tongue 28 will of lease of the applied pressure on thesecoacting plates or arms 25, the resultant expansion of the compressedpacking swing theseplates leg l3 and the asthe plate or arm or arms 25 upwardly until such movement is prevented by the shoulder or stop 29, as hereinbefore mentioned.

The plates 22 and also the extension plates or arms 25 are of such widths as to constitute what may be termed top covers for the packing, the teeth 24 and 26 penetrating the packing from above closely adjacent to the journal, thus assuring the packing being effectively maintained in proper position. These plates 22 and extension plates or arms 25 also effectively protect the packing within the box against robbing as with the plates in their lowered or efiective position it is impossible to remove the packing.

It will be further stated that these plates 22' and plates or arms 25 also materially increase the efliciency of the retainer in preventing waste gra It is also to be particularly pointed out that the rear extensions 30 of the plates 22 effectively prevent the rising of the packing in the rear portion of the box and particularly behind the coil springs 3|. It is believed to be obvious that this second embodiment of myinvention also contains the same benefits and advantages and'operates in the same manner as has hereinbefore been set forth in detail in connection with the embodiment. of the invention, as comprised in Figures 1 to 4.

It is believed to be apparent that when the plates 22 and the plates or arms 25 are in their lowered or effective working position, the retainer cannot be removed from within tlrre box .but on the contrary beioreany such removal can be accomplished the plates 22 and theextension plates or arms 25 must be raised to their inoperative position.

This application embodies a continuation in part of the invention as set forth in my application,'Serial No. 155,137, filed July 22, 1937, the features of this former application as comprised in this present. application being as illustrated by Figures l'to 4 inclusive of the accompanying drawings. a

What I claim is:

1. A packing retainer for journal boxes formed of a singlelength of spring material bent to form a lower cross bar with a medial upwardly extending eye, an-upwardly and; rearwardly inclined portion at each end of the cross bar and rearwardly extending legs extending from said laterally inclined portions and terminating in spring coils, and an upper pair of legs extending from the spring coils forward and then having portions bent towards each other and into approximately abutting relationship.

2. A packing retainer'for journal boxes, comprising a pair of upper parallel legs connected by a cross bar, a lower pair of parallel legs connected by a cross bar, and a spring connection between said legs, the spring connection urging the under legs apart from the upper legs, the lower legs being longer than the upper legs whereby the lower cross bar may bear against. the forward end of the journal box while the and inwardly towards each other and then extending transversely-across the legs to form a cross bar, the middle of the cross bar being formed with an eye whereby the cross bar of the upper legs may be disposed immediately in front of the end of a journal while the cross bar of the lower legs is disposed against the forward end of a journal box.

4. A packing retainer for journal boxes having an upper portion and a lower portion, eaoh of said portions having side legs for placement at opposite sides of a journal, means for urging the legs of the upper portion and the legs of the lower portion away from each other, the legs of the lower portion being adapted to contact from posed plates extending along the legs of the lower portion 'to substantially bridge the space between said legs and the journal.

5. A packing retainer for journal boxes having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said portions having side legs for placement at opposite sides of a journal, means for urging the legs of the upper portion and the legs of the lower portion away from each other, the legs of the lower portion being adapted to contact from above with the packing within the box and the legs of the upper portion being'adapted to contact with a part within the box to resist. the

pressure of the' bottom portion, inwardly disposed plates extending along the legs of the lower portion to substantially bridge the space between said legs and the journal, and means for looking the plates against swinging movement under an expansive action of the packing within the box when the plates are in their eflective position.

6. A packing retainer for journal boxes having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said portions having side legs for placement at opposite sides of a'journal, means for urging. the legs of the upper portion and the legs of the lower portion away from each other, the legs of the lower portion being adapted to contact from above with the packing within the box and the legs of the upper portion being adapted to contact with a part within the box to resist the pressure of the bottom portion, inwardly disposed plates extending along the legs of the lower portion to substantially bridge the space between said legs and the bearing, the plates and legs of the lower portion being so constructed and assembled to allow the plates to have swinging movement about the legs, saidplates having inwardly disposed extension plates to contact with the packing in advance of the journal, and coacting means carried by said extension plates for locking said extension plates and the first named plates in their lowered working position.

'7. A packing retainer for journal boxes having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said portions having side legs for placement at opposite sides of a journal, means .Ior urging the legs of the upper portion and the legs of the lower portion away from each other, the legs of the lower portion being adapted to contact from above with the packing within the box and the legs of the upper portion being adapted to con tact with a part within the box to resist the pressure of the bottom portion, inwardly disposed plates extending along the legs of the lower portion to substantially bridge the space tongue, the locking tongue of one extension plate v passing from above through the "opening in the V lockingtongue in the second plate, the locking 4 coaction between theextension plates being so constructed and arranged to 'provide means to 7 limit the extent of upward swinging movement I of said extension arms by the expansive action of theoacking.

MARVIN H. GQRMAN. 1 

